The protocol of the Web, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), is a request/response protocol. Browser markup languages, such as hypertext markup language (HTML), are designed to work with the request/response model of HTTP. More particularly, for each HTTP request there is a single HTTP response, unless an error occurs preventing generation and/or return of the response to the requesting user agent. HTTP requests and HTTP responses are communicated over a network connection. Multiple pairs of HTTP request and HTTP response messages can be exchanged over a single connection. HTTP responses must be returned via the connection in the order that their corresponding HTTP requests were exchanged via the connection.
An HTTP request that takes a relatively long time to perform or process by a server holds up HTTP responses to any HTTP requests received afterwards. Depending on the implementation of a particular server, the long-running HTTP request can prevent the particular server from beginning to perform commands identified in any later sent HTTP requests.
HTTP is used by web browsers that interact with people. Delays in responding can be frustrating to people. This frustration may be costly to website providers as users sometimes resubmit requests, wasting the resources of a service provider. Possibly, worse, some users move on to another service provider or other activity.
The issues discussed above are exemplary issues associated with the current request/response model of the Web. Accordingly, there exists a need for methods, systems, and computer program products for processing a non-returnable command response based on a markup element.